Classics and Ancient History

Immerse yourself in the study of ancient history, literature, language, archaeology, art and culture in a thriving Department of Classics with an international reputation.

Join a vibrant research environment where 95% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Classics).

We have research and teaching strengths in a wide range of aspects of ancient history, society, literature and art. Particular clusters of expertise in the Department include: ancient religions; Late Antiquity; ancient traditions of historiography; connections between Greece and the Near and Middle East and with Egypt; ancient material culture and the development of Classical collections; and the reception of antiquity in the modern age.

Our expertise in ancient languages includes papyrology, epigraphy and ancient linguistics. Our ancient language offerings in Latin, Greek, and Egyptian will complement your studies.

Postgraduate students are fully integrated into our thriving research culture, which includes weekly research seminars, reading groups and workshops featuring scholars from around the world. Our postgraduates organise their own conferences, work-in-progress seminars and annual research colloquia. You will benefit from facilities including the Department’s Ure Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of Greek ceramics in the UK, and a dedicated postgraduate room. Additionally, we are only a short distance from the major research libraries and classical archaeology collections of Oxford and London.

Looking for postgraduate research opportunities?

Come to Reading for your PhD or professional doctorate and join a talented and diverse community of fellow researchers working to improve lives across the globe.

• Postgraduate research at Reading